One

I recently had the wonderful experience of taking a trip out west to see my parents. My son was on Spring Break so we made the most of the time off. We spent a couple of days in Las Vegas and was able to catch the Michael Jackson One, Cirque de Soleil show. In a word, it was Magnificent! However, as they “Wowed the crowd” from one MJ tune to the next, one subset of songs got me to thinking.

It was very common for Michael Jackson, and many others for that matter, to put out songs that promote a social consciousness to “Heal the World”. The idea is that if we can just be more compassionate to one another, and care to come out of our own comforts to lend a hand, that we can truly make this world a better place and bring about lasting peace. I imagine that there is an Earth Song, but according to The Scriptures, it's not for us to all act better.

Here's The Word:

Romans 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

2 Peter 3:7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

The earth is not hoping for us to get our collective "act" together. It's waiting on it's renewal at the final judgment of Christ.
Now, don't get me wrong. If it's in your power to alleviate suffering, then by all means, ALLEVIATE SUFFERING. I believe that a very good message that we should hear as often as possible is the one where we should look at the comforts afforded to us and have a serious consideration for helping those with less....but fundamentally, this is a heart matter and only God can change a heart which is something He doesn't seem to do on a grand scale against the choices of individuals.

It's not my intention to douse the hopes of those who are energized by the belief that we can make a better world, I just want people to see the truth. There's no way to "Kumbya" this world into a paradise. Far more important is to put effort to the reality of desperate, degenerate hearts that need The Savior. Through sharing The Gospel message of reconciliation and fervent prayer, we play a part in God's plan to affect eternity by seeking to see men converted.

This is more a matter of scope than scorn. Not trying to put anyone down, just that the idea of 'fixing the world' has a fundamental flaw in its misunderstanding of evil.
Evil is real, present and has an agenda that can not be negotiated with. It has no demands that can be met that can pacify its desire for total destruction of anything remotely good or God honoring.
After the fall, it was no longer possible for Earth to be a paradise and only God can ultimately eradicate evil - and indeed, that is His plan. God is not seeking a compromise with evil. His plan is to utterly destroy it, in its entirety.

Here's The Word:

2 Timothy 3:13 - 15 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Revelation 20:10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Revelation 20:14 - 15 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

So again, it's imperative that Christians led by The Spirit, develop generous hearts (freely you have received, freely give -Mt 10:8); to engage themselves as servants to the needy - close neighbors as well as far-reaching peoples of foreign lands. Ultimately, this effort should be to enlighten people to something far above world peace: it should convey their need for peace with God through forgiveness of The Savior as The Bible makes it clear - "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation" Hebrews 9:27 - 28
I don't like seeing the world in chaos, and sometimes its beyond my comprehension the Love, Grace and Mercy that God shows each day that He spares judgment from this cruel place. And as passionately as any song from Michael Jackson, or any other 'humanity' inspired artists, I take each day as another opportunity to accept His new mercies and try to share the reality of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, the ONE.


In Him,
Cros

The Devil, Pt. 2

Do you really believe the old saying “Whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.”? We all know that we say it as an encouragement to stay persistent during tough times and on the surface, it does seem to carry apparent wisdom.
But do we REALLY believe it? Sometimes we see this wisdom as circumstantial ( for bad circumstances); like when a relationship fails or you have to work three more years to compensate for a devalued 401K. It’s the kind of thing that sounds good but it’s hard to be encouraged when you’re in the middle of a trial. Which is exactly my point: It’s interesting that when we see things as overwhelmingly hard, we see the devil as being a powerful force of resistance or ruination. If we’re inclined to consider the devil at all, his power and influence waxes and wanes based on how we’re affected in a situation.

John 10:10 says, The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly – and most times we see the “thief” in this verse as The Devil, although it doesn’t particularly single him out. In context, it’s talking about anyone who would seek to influence or lead sheep astray from the truth – the Truth as presented exclusively by the True Shepherd. When it comes to the actual Devil or Satan, that old serpent: We need to keep it in context.

Here’s The Word;

Luke 4:13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.

John 13:2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

1 John 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

Job 1:12 And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.

When you check the Scriptures and are enlightened by The Spirit with wisdom from above to understand, you see that the devil is a lot of things, but autonomous with the power to enact his will freely is definitely not one of them.
Even though He walks about, seeking whom he may devour, he can only do what he’s authorized to do. This is a wide range of affects but it’s not carte blanch. You can protect yourself and prevent his ability to affect you. Not in a way that will make your life totally free from ALL troubles and suffering…but the devil isn’t responsible for all suffering in the world. Sometimes The Father’s chastisement of His children is painful but that’s not the devil’s blame.

If we believe that the devil has power, we also must believe that what The Bible says about God’s power and since 2 Peter 2:9 says that it is His will that none should perish, but that all would come to repentance – it stands to reason that the devil is not just God’s “stick” to punish the wicked. He also uses the devil to prove us. This is evident in Job where God already knew Job. He knew Job’s heart, his resolve and what his response would be. But it’s likely that Job didn’t know these things, and obviously, the devil didn’t know either. So in the testimony of Job – God taught an incredible lesson… First to the devil, then to Job and ultimately to us

2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one

So if you ever thought to yourself "The devil is trying to kill (or crush) me", of course, he'd like to but he surely can't do it because he wants to. And it doesn't look like permission is given to him freely when it comes to the Saints. Looks like our main concern would be to keep ourselves out of the place where the devil's given authority would allow him to devour us (which I don't believe applies to TRUE believers). After that, any and everything else may cause severe pain and tribulation, but it can't kill us - and by extension then, can only make us stronger. This makes sense as God is re-making us... not in a decaffeinated "Christ likeness", but full strength!


In Him,
Cros